Alar mantids are a race of winged insectoids who dedicate themselves to meditative martial arts and aesthetic discipline. They typically live in remote monastic communities hidden in forest or mountain locations. Alar mantids resemble praying mantises nearly the height of a man. They have two sets of wings: two larger feathered wings and smaller set of moth-like wings. While they loathe violence, alar mantids are not pacifists, and they are formidable opponents when forced to fight.

If an alar mantid’s claw attack roll is 5 higher than the required to hit number, the target has a 75% chance to be stunned by the blow for 2d6 rounds. Moreover, the mystic perfection of the blow also has a 25% chance to kill the opponent, provided the opponent’s hit dice are no more than 1 higher than the alar mantid’s. All alar mantids can speak with animals at will (as the spell). Also, all alar mantids have the following thieving skills: Climb Walls 88%, Delicate Tasks 30%, Hear Sounds 4 in 6, Hide in Shadows 25%, Move Silently 35%, and Open Locks 25%.